Police

Core Values

Integrity, Professionalism, Fairness and Teamwork

Mission Statement

The Oregon Police Division is committed to excellence through partnership with the community that builds trust, reduces crime and creates a safe environment. Through education, enforcement and prevention, we will improve the quality of life by practicing our core beliefs of Integrity, Professionalism, Fairness and Teamwork.

Chief Navarre's Vision

I visualize a Police Division that is the envy of all others in Northwest Ohio. I would like our employees, both sworn and civilian, to be the best and brightest. This will require aggressive recruitment of applicants, conducting thorough background investigations and a selection process that ensures we are making the right choices. Police Division employees should be a diverse group of individuals that reflect the community we serve.

The Police Division’s facilities and work environment should be one that is conducive to employees wanting to come to work. This allows us to attract a sufficient number of qualified candidates and retain our current employees. Due to the nature of the work, sworn officers should be physically fit and desire a willingness to solve problems and to think outside the box. All of our employees should possess our core values of Integrity, Fairness, Professionalism and Teamwork. Additionally, they should embrace our mission statement as they go about their everyday tasks. Police Officers need to be the guardians of our community and not regarded as warriors.

I envision a Police Division that embraces technology and is not afraid to take risks in seeking new and innovative ways to get the job done. I would like to provide training opportunities to all of our employees with a minimum of 24 hours of in-service training per year for our sworn officers.

Our Police Division should become a breeding ground for future leaders, not just within our organization, but where other departments look for future appointments.

I visualize a city where folks from out of town pass through and leave with a very favorable impression of their interaction with our police officers, to the point where they share this at their destination or with our Administration through letters or emails.

Police officers have a tremendous responsibility to enforce the laws of our City and State. Discretion must be used to ensure that action is taken with an intended purpose. Officers should ask themselves if the arrest or citation they are about to issue is going to provide for the betterment of the community. Our ultimate goal for conducting traffic enforcement should be safer roads through “voluntary compliance”. Oftentimes, a verbal warning serves as a better option for achieving this objective. Quality and not quantity of citations is paramount.

Interactions with community members are oftentimes limited to those who either violate the law or are crime victims. I envision a Police Division where this trend becomes the exception and not the norm. Police officers should go out of their way to speak with and get to know the residents as they patrol the neighborhoods. Bicycle patrols provide an excellent method to achieve this objective. Additionally, business owners should get regular visits.

Transparency in our operations and policies is critical and serves to achieve accountability. This will lead to a lasting and successful partnership between our Police Division and the community we serve.

-Chief Michael J. Navarre

The Oregon Police Division employs 48 sworn and 14 civilian employees. The Department serves a community of approximately 20,000 residents spanning an area of 28 square miles along the Lake Erie shoreline.

The Oregon Police Division is a progressive police agency. It was established by Ordinance in 1958 and, at the time, was to consist of 12 sworn officers and 7 radio communication operators. In February of 2011 the police division completed a state of the art upgrade to our dispatch center. Oregon Dispatchers not only dispatch for the police division, but are also responsible for the Oregon and Jerusalem Twp. Fire Depts.

As a medium sized police agency, each officer is encouraged and assisted in developing a wide range of skills. As is the case with all agencies, the road patrol division makes up the largest part of the police force. The patrol division is supported by the special services division that is comprised of a 5 officer detective bureau, police records, and the dispatch center.

In addition, the Oregon Police Division has partnered with the Oregon Board of Education in recognizing the importance of our youth. As a result, 6 Oregon Officers are assigned to the school system full time as School Resources Officers (SRO's) and a combination SRO/DARE Officer. These Officers are teaching drug and violence prevention and are accessible to our younger residents. Oregon Officers participate in many other part time positions in and around the City of Oregon. These would include the U.S. Marshal Service's Violent Fugitive Task Force, The FBI Safe Streets Task Force, The Special Response Team, and numerous other on and off duty projects.

2019 Goals and Objectives

Operations

Operations will have all accident reports completed electronically through the eCrash System by the end of the year.

All traffic citations will be issued electronically through the eCitation System.

In 2019, at least two (2) additional police officers will attend the 40 hour course for “Crisis Intervention Training” (CIT).

Detective Bureau

The Detective Bureau will conduct outdoor crime scene training with the State of Ohio’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) for all detectives.

All detectives will attend High Risk Search Warrant/Desk Shooting Training in 2019.

The Detective Bureau will create a succession plan for all future vacancies with specializations.

Dispatch

The Dispatch Center will train at least two (2) dispatchers as Field Training Officers (FTO’s).

The Dispatch Center will identify and train a new Assistant Terminal Agency Coordinator (ATAC).

Records

The Oregon Police Division’s Archives Room (old police, accident and other reports) will undergo a major re-organization in 2019.

In conjunction with the re-organization of the Archives Room, the Police Division will destroy any unnecessary records that are kept beyond our Records Retention.

Community Policing & Training

The Oregon Police Division will conduct a Citizen Police Academy and a Teen Police Academy in 2019.

The Oregon Police Division will conduct at least one crime prevention awareness presentation.

All sworn officers in the Oregon Police Division will attend a minimum of 24 hours of in-service training.

The Oregon Police Division will conduct a dedication ceremony/open house for our new Oregon Police Division Training Center.

The Oregon Police Division will attempt to increase the number of trainers on staff in an effort to replace those who have retired.

Specialized Units

The Oregon Police division will conduct a pilot program on at least three (3) occasions, beginning in May, for utilization of the Police Drone as a First Responder. Additionally, in 2019, the Drone Unit will be utilized at the Oregon Fest in May, the Boom Fest in July and the German American Festival in August.

In 2019, develop a video blog (VLOG) and post to the Division's website and other social media accounts.

Citizen Feedback

The Oregon Police Division is always striving to improve our operations and plan for our future. If you have a connection to live, work, or have family in Oregon, please take a few minutes to complete a brief online survey regarding any contact you may have had with a division employee.

Employment Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age by the time of appointment, and cannot be older than 35.

Applicants must have an Associates Degree or have completed 60 semester credit hours or 90 quarter credit hours from an accredited college or university in any discipline. The applicant’s GPA can be no lower than 2.0.

Applicants are not required to have the Ohio Peace Officer’s Certification, but applicants who do already possess their OPOTA certification will receive 3 bonus points.

Applicants must undergo a rigorous background investigation and be able to pass both a psychological assessment and a physical fitness assessment. A drug screen will also be conducted.

Applicants must also possess a valid Ohio driver’s license

Veterans with at least 180 days of active duty who provide a DD 214 can receive 5 bonus points.

The Oregon Police Division uses the National Testing Network (NTN) to compile a list of eligible candidates. Applicants acquire more information about the testing process and locations on the NTN website. Other employment questions can be directed to our Civil Service Commission at (419) 698-7095.

Performance/Responsibilities

Under general supervision, perform various duties to protect and serve the general public; enforce and uphold the laws set forth by the Constitution of the United States, the State of Ohio and the Charter of the City of Oregon; perform related duties as assigned. See further requirements, duties and responsibilities posted in City office.

In order to become a Police Officer in the City of Oregon an examination is given by the Civil Service Commission. The starting salary is $27.86 per hour and maximum reached in six (6) years is $36.23 per hour and includes excellent benefits. Interested candidates should call the City of Oregon Civil Service Commission at (419) 698-7095.

Our History

The intention to maintain law and order in the area known as Oregon dates back to the early 1800’s. Records indicate that Oregon Twp. Constable, Joe Miller, would meet new comers to the area and provide them with a document inviting them to continue on and leave the area. A new jail house was placed on the ballot for voters, along with a City Hall, sometime in 1861. The Town Hall was approved but the jail was soundly defeated with a popular vote of 42 being against the building of the structure and only 5 being for it. The jail was never built. [As stated in the "History of Oregon and Jerusalem" book by Josephine Fassett]

Oregon established its first municipal police department with the hiring of Chief Nelson Danforth in December of 1958. At the time, Chief Danforth was to be one of 27 full time employees for Oregon. Ordinance #18 in 1958, established a Police Department to consist of 12 officers and 7 dispatch personnel, to include a Chief, a Lieutenant, two (2) Sergeants and eight (8) patrolmen. By ordinance, an officer must serve as a patrolman in order to be a sergeant, and an officer had to be a sergeant in order to serve as a lieutenant. in March of 1959, Chief Danforth brought forth 7 names to the civil service commission to serve as Oregon’s first police force. They all assumed their duties on March 23 of that year. To meet their needs, the Oregon Council approved the purchase of three Police vehicles.

By 1965, the Oregon Police Officers were making a whopping $6,200.00 with top pay being $6,760.00.

In 1969, members of the Oregon Civil Service Commission were approached by women that were inquiring about the possibility of becoming Oregon Police Officers. It was the opinion of the commission, at that time, that a separate classification of Police Woman would have to be created and a separate Civil Service list be maintained for same.

In 1981, the city hired its first two female officers, Lauri Baker and Virginia Conner. Both of them retired after fruitful careers as command officers in the police division. The Oregon Police Division currently has five female officers serving as a supervisor, investigator, DARE officer/SRO and two Road Patrol Officers.

The Oregon Police Division in 1990 began to develop a group of trainers within the department to provide for internal training in the areas of firearms and defensive tactics. This has expanded over time to include certified instructors in Chemical Weapons, Less Lethal, Taser, Active Shooter, ALICE, Simunition, ASP collapsible baton, tactical driving, and rappelling.

Oregon’s 48 officers are paid slightly better today with the starting wage being $57,948/yr. and maxing out at just over $73,358.00. Our fleet of vehicles is slightly larger as well, with a total of 35 vehicles including 12 unmarked vehicles. A portion of our patrol fleet is replaced with new vehicles on an annual basis

Joining the Oregon Police Division in January 2012 was our ninth Chief of Police, Michael J. Navarre. Mike comes from the Toledo Police Department where he served in numerous positions working his way up the ranks for 34 years. Mike spent the last 13 years in Toledo as the Chief of Police.